Humza Yousaf: Hard copies of SNP donations now being kept after auditors identified missing records

Changes have been made to the way the SNP records donations after auditors raised an “issue”, Humza Yousaf said.

The party leader and Scottish First Minister spoke about the changes after it emerged it would be submitting “qualified” accounts to the Electoral Commission.

With the SNP required to submit accounts to the watchdog by July 7, the SNP confirmed on Friday it was on track to meet this – but there would be a “qualification relating to one stream of income due to administrative processes”.

It added that this had resulted in a “limitation in scope of the audit”.

Speaking about the situation, Mr Yousaf told PA Media: “The qualification the auditors refer to is really in relation to ensuring that donations that are under £250, that we keep hard copy documentation of those donations.

“We do keep an online record of them but the auditors say there should be a hard copy of those donations kept as well.”

He added: “As soon as the auditors raised that issue with us the treasurer Stuart McDonald made sure the party immediately took steps to keep hard copy records.”

Mr Yousaf, who was campaigning in Blantyre in the constituency on Saturday with SNP candidate Katy Loudon, insisted that support for his party was “rock solid”.

As well as issues with the party’s accounts, Mr Yousaf’s early days as SNP leader saw the arrest and questioning of former chief executive Peter Murrell and the then treasurer Colin Beattie by police probing SNP finances.

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is married to Mr Murrell, was later arrested, with all three being released without charge pending further investigation.

Daily Record Homepage: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/

Daily Record Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheScottishDailyRecord
Daily Record IG: https://instagram.com/scottishdailyrecord
Daily Record Twitter: https://twitter.com/Daily_Record
Daily Record Newsletters: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/

You can get all the latest news, sport, showbiz and comment at DailyRecord.co.uk

LIKE | COMMENT | SUBSCRIBE | SHARE
#DailyRecord #SNP #scottishgovernment